Koch gets inducted into MSU Hall of Fame

Posted on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 8:29 am

Six standout student-athletes whose names criss-cross the school’s all-time record books in their respective sports, a long-time coach and one of the unsung heroes of MSU athletics comprise an eight-member induction class for 2013 into the Missouri State University Athletics Hall of Fame. The group includes standouts from six different MSU teams as the shrine’s 39th annual induction unfolds the weekend of Feb. 1-2, 2013.
Included among the inductees is Kari Koch, of Elsberry who played basketball from 2002-2006.
Koch was a four-year starter at guard for the Lady Bears of coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson. Koch finished her playing days as the program’s second-leading career scorer (now third) with 2,073 points and finished fourth in MSU career field goals made (709) and free throw percentage (.857). She is the all-time leader in three-point field goals (271), three-point attempts (677) and steals (340) and is second in assists (529). She scored an average of 14.7 points as a freshman, 17.8 her sophomore season, 14.9 as a junior and 20.2 when she was a senior. Koch was a four-time all-Missouri Valley Conference first team selection who was the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2003 and MVC Player of the Year in 2004. She was also aWBCA Kodak honorable mention All-America in 2004. Koch played on MSU NCAA tournament teams in 2003, 2004 and 2006 as well as the Lady Bears’ 2005 Women’s National Invitation Tournament champs.
The long-time coach is former wrestling mentor Mike McCarty (1965-72, 73-89), who will be inducted posthumously. He’ll be joined by one representative each from the sports of basketball, baseball, field hockey and soccer, two from track and field, plus physical education staff member and a backbone of MSU athletics game day events Jim Wright (1980-present).

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